Our family of 4 is visiting 03/10. We don't want to HAVE TO have reservations once a day. Does the meal plan make sense for us? Are the full service restaraunts clearly marked?”

Hi Paula,

I hear you! When we're on vacation we don't like to be locked in to our dining times. I have a hard time knowing what I want for dinner tonight, let alone what I'll want during a vacation that is months away. For this reason, we have steered clear of the dining plan thus far. For our family of five I think it is more cost effective for us to simply eat when we want, and only what we want. What I have noticed about the dining plan is that they give you a LOT of food, so for our family this would be a waste. Our children are small, and fairly picky so most of the time we're splitting meals or only ordering sides to satisfy their appetites.

I do think the dining plan is an economical choice for families that would like to have a table service meal once a day, along with character meals.

Keep in mind that just because you don't have advanced dining reservations doesn't mean that you wouldn't be able to get something once you were there. I have been fairly lucky calling from our resort (or stopping by guest services at any of the theme parks) to secure dining reservations. Just be a little flexible on your time and you may just luck out. When looking at your park maps, all of the table service restaurants are marked with an R.

Meet the Panelist: Karen, New Hampshire

Ahoy matey! My name is Karen and if there is such a person as the all-American Disney Mom, I'm it. I am a proud card-carrying member of Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Club and I would love to help you plan your Disney Cruise Line vacation!Learn More About Karen

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